The Pewsey Area Board met to discuss a range of community issues, allocate funding to local projects, and receive updates from partners such as the police and local organisations. Councillors approved funding for several community and youth projects, heard a presentation on the Shared Lives Service, and discussed local priorities and challenges.

Area Board Funding

The Area Board approved a number of community grants, but due to budget limitations, most of the grants were not awarded in full.

The following Community Area Grants were approved:

• Wootton Rivers Village Hall will receive £1,500 for a new front door.
• Wilcot Recreational Ground and Village Hall will receive £2,500 towards an exterior door and windows, a partial award of the £5,000 requested.
• Marden Village Hall will receive £2,500 towards resurfacing their car park and disability access ramp repair, a partial award of the £3,813 requested.
• All Cannings Community Shop will receive £2,500 towards equipping the shop building, a partial award of the £5,000 requested.
• Manningford Village Hall Committee will receive £2,500 towards a surface for a parking area, a partial award of the £5,000 requested.

The following Youth Grants were approved:

• The Youth Adventure Trust will receive £3,000 towards supporting disadvantaged young people in Pewsey from Pewsey Vale School.
• Burbage & Easton Royal Cricket Club will receive £2,500 towards a changing facility for the second ground, a partial award of the £5,000 requested.
• Pewsey Vale Youth FC will receive £500 towards U15s goals.

The Chairman, Councillor Jerry Kunkler, noted that the Area Board did not have enough money in the budget to award all grants in full, and proposed limiting all grants to £2,500 where grants were awarded in full.

Local Highways and Footpath Improvement Group (LHFIG)

The Board noted the minutes of the LHFIG meetings held on 5 February 2025 and 21 May 2025 and approved the recommendations from those meetings.

The approved recommendations from the 5 February meeting included:

• Adding several issues to the Priority Schemes List, including funding for:
  • A new sign support post in Woodborough The Sands (£100)
  • Pedestrian warning signs in Woodbridge (£1,000)
  • A new No Through Road sign in Milton Lilbourne (£50)
• Allocating funding for a Topo Survey for a proposed Footway in Upavon (£1,110)
• Closing several issues, including those related to nameplates in Beechingstoke, warning signs in Bottlesford and Woodborough, and speeding concerns in East Grafton.

The approved recommendations from the 21 May meeting included:

• Adding several issues to the Priority Schemes List, including funding for:
  • A speed limit review in Manningford (£1,950)
  • A gateway feature in Beechingstoke (£960)
  • Nameplates and a warning sign in Bagshot (£810)
• Adding an issue related to Rushall Elm Row Phase 4 to the Priority Schemes List, but without funding.
• Closing several issues, including those related to SID infrastructure in Upavon, road markings in Froxfield, and a speed limit review from Prospect to Oare.

Community Area - Engagement and Partnership Update

Caroline LeQuense, the Engagement and Partnership Lead, gave a presentation on the work of the Engagement and Partnership service, which focuses on strategic work derived from the council's business plan. Key areas of focus include:

• The Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector and Wiltshire Council framework, for which a consultation was running until 18 July 2025.
• Employment opportunities for residents with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), with a SEND festival planned at the Wiltshire Music Centre in Bradford on Avon on 20 September 2025.
• The Wiltshire Youth Framework, focusing on leisure activities for young people.
• Cost of Living support and transitioning from relief to community resilience.
• Leveraging social value from large contracts.
• Supporting older and vulnerable adults.
• Environmental initiatives.

Area Board members then discussed challenges and opportunities in their respective areas. Councillor Kunkler mentioned the success of Men's Sheds in Ludgershall and Amesbury and suggested setting up a similar initiative in the Pewsey area to combat social isolation. Councillor Paul Oatway QPM highlighted the importance of the Connect2Wiltshire transport network and the need to address social isolation, particularly among young people and the elderly. Councillor Stuart Wheeler emphasized the rural nature of the area and the need for transport solutions, as well as encouraging residents to become parish councillors.

Wiltshire Police Update

Inspector Simon Garret of the Pewsey, Devizes and Marlborough Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) provided an update on policing in the area. He noted that the NPT had relocated to the police headquarters in Devizes as part of a cost-saving measure. Despite budget cuts, the Chief Constable was committed to maintaining front-line services. The Inspector also presented crime statistics for March and April 2025, noting an increase in reported crimes due to improved recording methods and the impact of warmer weather.

Shared Lives Service

The Area Board viewed a video presentation on the Shared Lives Service, which aims to support vulnerable adults over 16 to live as independently as possible. The service is seeking to recruit more carers. Amy Louise Smith, the Service Manager for the Shared Lives Scheme, explained that:

The Shared Lives Service enables people to live as part of a family within a carer's home where they receive the practical and emotional support they need... Shared Lives is a little bit like fostering but for vulnerable adults over the age of 16 who want to live as independently as possible.

Appointments

The Area Board made the following appointments:

• Councillor Paul Oatway QPM to the Pewsey Community Area Partnership.
• Councillor Stuart Wheeler to The Vale Health and Wellbeing Centre.
• Councillor Jerry Kunkler as the Area Board Environment Lead (ABEL) and Youth Lead.

Partner Updates

The Board noted written updates from:

• The Pewsey Neighbourhood Policing Team
• Wiltshire Police on Violence Against Women and Girls
• Age UK Wiltshire
• The Pewsey Community Area Partnership

Dawn Wilson of the Pewsey Community Area Partnership (PCAP) highlighted the availability of the Household Support Fund and encouraged attendees to inform those in need. Colin Gale of PCAP noted the success of the Connect2Wiltshire transport service and suggested that it needed republicising. Sylvia Wyatt of PCAP and Great Green Bedwyn reported on a successful PCAP Environment Workshop and identified key themes such as flooding, biodiversity, home energy, and transport.